HUNDREDS of thousands of Iranians rallied today in a show of defiance, pledging their readiness to take up arms in the biggest such demonstration since the United States and Israel launched their illegal and unprovoked attack in February.

Estimates varied of the number of people volunteering to receive limited military training and defend the country in an effort described as “Janfaday-e Iran” (“the ones who sacrifice their lives for Iran”).

They marched through central Tehran in combat uniform, carrying flags, as onlookers cheered.

For days, state media have encouraged Iranians to join the campaign, saying that training with assault rifles would begin soon.

The volunteers would provide an additional layer of security in addition to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and its all-volunteer arm the Basij.

Tehran Revolutionary Guard head General Hassan Hassanzadeh told local television broadcasters that over 600,000 people had registered to participate and over one million were expected to take part in the training.

This morning, local news estimated that over 300,000 people were on the streets.

New Basij head Hossein Taeb declared in a speech as the rally began that the volunteers would be ready for “full-fledged defence” and similar rallies would take place in other cities soon.

The new trainees will create a “nightmare” for Iran’s enemies, Mr Taeb added, as President Masoud Pezeshkian, military commanders and other senior officials watched the march.

“I am here to tell [US President Donald] Trump that we Iranians have no fear about his threats against our homeland,” said Marzieh Afaghi, who attended the rally with her toddler and husband.

“No-one in history could invade Iran and remain there.”

In May, government officials said more than 30 million people, out of a population of some 90 million, had volunteered to fight for their country, either via an online form or at public gatherings.